Kenya Travel Guide & Manual - International Luxury Travel Market

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46 MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE The Mara-Serengeti ecosystem is the world's greatest large mammal migration: the Trans Mara will make a critical contribution to maintaining this spectacle and ecosystem forever SOUTH RIFT REGION Masai Mara National Reserve Covering an area of over 1,500 square km, the Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Kenya. The reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in primarily open grassland. Wildlife tends to be most concentrated on the reserve’s western escarpment. The swampy land provides more access to water and less access to tourists. The eastern end is closest to Nairobi and hence easier to access by tourists. The Masai Mara is regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas. The annual wildebeests migration alone involves over 1.5 million animals arriving in July and departing in November. There have been some 95 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 birds species recorded on the reserve. Nowhere in Africa is wildlife more abundant, and it is for this reason a visitor hardly misses to see the big five (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino). Contact details PO Box 60, Narok Tel: +254 (0)50 22068/22337 Fax: +254 (0)50 22412/22260 Email: mkoikai@hotmail.com Contact person Chief Park Warden – Michael Koikai Location Situated in south-western Kenya, it lies between latitude 1°00 south and longitude 34°45 and 36°00 east. It straddles both Narok and Transmara districts and lies about 105 miles south of the equator. Distance from Nairobi 247 km south-west of Nairobi Size 1,510 square km Park fees Contact tour operator. Climatic conditions Rainfall is bimodal with the main dry period from mid June to mid October and a shorter dry season during January and February. Long rains from March to June and the short rains from November to December. Rainfall is between 800 – 1200 mm. Maximum daily temperatures lies between 26°C and 30°C. Wildlife 95 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 birds species have been recorded including annual wildebeests migration involving over 1.5 million animals. Access Road: Main roads are all weather. Game viewing trucks can only be used by four wheel drives during the rainy season. The main road from Mai mahiu to Narok is currently under construction. Air: Three airstrips serve the Mara:- Keekorok, Olkiombo, and Musiara all of them murramed. Accommodation Two lodges, Keekorok and Sarova Mara, and four tented camps, Mara Intrepids, Explorer, Governors’ Camp, Olmurrani, a number of seasonal camps/luxury mobile camps, Rekero, Naibor, 4x4, Campfire. Best time to visit August to November Other game include hippopotami, cheetah, Grant’s gazelle, impala, topi, Coke’s hartebeest, giraffe, Roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox. However wildebeest are by far the dominant inhabitants of the Masai Mara. Their numbers are estimated in the millions. The Great Migration starts in July each year when well over one million wildebeest along with large numbers of Thompson’s Gazelle, zebra and other herbivores migrate from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to fresh pastures in the north and then back south again in October.
47 Mara Triangle MARA TRIANGLE Contact details Mara Conservancy PO Box 63457 – 00620, Nairobi Tel: +254 (0)2 3749632 Fax: +254 (0)2 3749636 Email: mara@triad.co.ke www.maraconservancy.com Contact person Brian Heath Location Trans Mara District - Western sector, Masai Mara. Distance from Nairobi 300 km Size 510 sq km Park fees Contact tour operator. Climatic conditions Altitude 5,300 feet (1,600 metres). Rainy season from November through May, with peak rainfall in December-January and April-May. Dry season from June-November. Often sunny mornings with cloud build-up in the afternoons – during the rains this develops into thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Max temperatures up to 30°C and min temperatures around 20°C. Wildlife The Mara is known as one of the finest wildlife destinations in the World. There is an excellent chance of seeing the Big 5, cheetah, serval, hyena, bat-eared foxes, black-backed and side-striped jackals, hippo, crocodile, baboons, warthog, topi, eland, Thompson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, impala, waterbuck, oribi, reed-buck, zebra. During the migration (July to November) huge numbers of wildebeest move in. Access The Mara Triangle is serviced by two all-weather airstrips – Mara Serena and Kichwa Tembo. The main road access into the Triangle is through Narok and Sekenani Gate. Accommodation Mara Serena (150 beds) and Little Governors’ Camp (36 beds) are the only two lodges situated in the Triangle. Kichwa Tembo, Mpata Club, Olonana, Mara Siria and Kilima Camp are situated on the periphery but use the Triangle. Best time to visit Peak season is between July and October, during the migration. Early November and February can also offer excellent game viewing. Activities Game viewing, camping, night game drives, visits to Masai cultural villages, ballooning, bush dinner, lunch and breakfast.
Page 1: Kenya Travel Guide & Manual
Page 4: 2 KATO Foreword It gives me great p
Page 9 and 10: 7 Welcome to magical Kenya - where
Page 13: Cultural variety is the spice of Ke
Page 17 and 18: 5 A year-round climate made for gol
Page 19 and 20: 17 Go on - treat yourself to a spot
Page 21 and 22: In addition to residential diving,
Page 23 and 24: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Page 25: Thanks to its long presence in the
Page 30 and 31: 28 PARK INDEX & ROUTE PLANNER CENTR
Page 32 and 33: 30 Lodwar COASTLINE REGION An ocean
Page 34 and 35: 32 NORTH RIFT REGION A rugged lands
Page 36 and 37: 34 Lake Turkana Moyale SOUTHERN REG
Page 38 and 39: 36 ABERDARE NATIONAL PARK Majestic
Page 40 and 41: 38 ARABUKO SOKOKE FOREST NATIONAL P
Page 42 and 43: 40 CHYULU HILLS NATIONAL PARK SOUTH
Page 44 and 45: 42 KISITE MPUNGUTI MARINE NATIONAL
Page 46 and 47: 44 LAIKIPIA NORTH RIFT REGION Laiki
Page 50 and 51: 48 MARSABIT NATIONAL PARK Misted mo
Page 52 and 53: 50 MOMBASA MARINE NATIONAL PARK & R
Page 54 and 55: 52 MOUNT LONGONOT NATIONAL PARK She
Page 56 and 57: 54 NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK The world'
Page 58 and 59: 56 NASOLOT NATIONAL RESERVE A sceni
Page 60 and 61: 58 SAIWA SWAMP NATIONAL PARK Sanctu
Page 62 and 63: 60 SHIMBA HILLS NATIONAL RESERVE La
Page 64 and 65: 62 TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK Theatre
Page 66: 64 TANA RIVER PRIMATE NATIONAL RESE

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